Ladder-support.



No. 799,782. PATENTD- SBPT.,19, 1905I J. G. BLLINGER.

LADDER SUPPORT.

APPLIGATIQN FILED snm' 6,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. '1955,782. PATENTED SEPT. 1'9, 1905. J. G. ELLINGBR.

LADDER SUPPORT.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 6.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT Z.

UNITED STATES JOHN G. ELLINGER, OF FERN, IOVA.

LADDER-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application iiled September 6, 1904. Serial No. 223,559.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Gr. ELLINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fern, in the county of Grundy and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladder-Supports, of which the following is a full and exact description.

My invention pertains to improvements in ladder-supports, and has for its object the constructionof a support which may be attached to any ladder land so adjusted both as to its position' with reference to the length of the ladder and also its angular relation thereto that it may be used in many different positions and its position, and consequently that of the ladder, changed to suit the particular kind of work in connection with which it is being used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a ready means whereby the angular relation of the ladder and support may be readily changed, said means being operablefrom the ground or any point on the ladder. The structure may be described in general terms as comprising a frame pivotally attached at its inner end to a member (or members) which engages the ladder, an extensible and contractible brace pivotally connected to the frame at a point remote from the ladder and likewise connected to the ladder or an adjustable lmember carried thereby, and means for securing the brace in its adjusted position.

The support may be used for a variety of purposes, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. Some of its specific uses will, however, be hereinafter pointed out. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a ladder with the support applied thereto, illustrating the manner in which it is used as a staging-support in putting up eaves-troughs or spouting; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the position of the parts when the support is placed near the upper end of the ladder, whereby the ladder will be so positioned as to readily permit a painter, for instance, to work about the'eaves of a building; Fig. 3, a perspectiveview of the support; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail perspective view of certain portions of the apparatus, and Fig. 5 a detail sectional view of the locking bolt or latch.

The frame comprises the side'bars or members E, preferably provided at their outer or H, corner-irons J and angle-braces yI being employed to strengthen the parts, as best indicated in Fig. 3, while a cross-rod K, connecting the inner ends of the bars E, completes the frame. If the crossbar H be formed of wood, I prefer to employ a strapiron O, which, as shown in Fig. 3, extends the entire length thereof and is securely fastened at its ends to the inner faces of the side bars.

Mounted upon rod K are two loops or slides N, which are normally pressed inwardly toward each other by two coiled springs P, which encircle the rod and bear, respectively, against the ends of side bars E and the outermost faces of the loops or slides. Said loops are of such shape as to embrace the upright members of a ladder, and to secure them in their adjusted position upon the same each loop is provided with a clamping-screw D or equivalent device. Secured to and extending downwardly from each of said loops is a spacer bar or arm A, the lower end of each bar in turn being connected to a loop M, which, like loops N, are designed to embrace the ladder-uprights.

Cross-bar H is provided with a pair of clevises Q, to which are attached arms or bars B. Said bars are provided with a series of holes or openings throughout their length and pass into guides or boxes C, pivotally secured at their lower ends to the spacer-bars A, preferably in line with loops M. Bars B and boxes C form, in effect, an adjustable telescopic brace for the frame, whereby the angular position thereof with reference to the ladder may be determined and maintained. Tose-y cure bars B in the desired adjusted position, I employ a spring-pressed latch or lockingbolt in connection with each bar, and inasmuch as both latches are the same in construction a description of one will be sufcient.

Secured to the side of each boxv C is a bracket having an upstanding end L, which lies parallel to the outer face of the box. A bolt R is mounted in an opening formed in said upstanding end and in a similar opening in the side of the box in line with the holes formed in the arms or bars B.` A spring U encircles the bolt, bearing at one end against end L and at the other against the forked end of a bell-crank lever S, fulcrumed upon thel bracket or box. The forked end of said lever enters notches formed in the bolt R (see Fig.

IUO

IIO

5,) so that the spring tends to force the bolt inwardly and to throw the outer end of lever S upwardly. The lower end of each arm or bar B is bent outwardly, and a rope T is secured to each of said ends, the ropes passing over pulleys G, one swiveled upon the outer end of each bell-'crank lever S.

Assuming that-the su pport has been secured upon the ladder and it be desired to shift the frame to change its angular' position with reference to the ladder, it is only necessary for the workman to pull upon the ropes T, which will have the effect of rocking the bell-crank levers and withdrawing the bolts. If it be desired to elevate the outer end of the frame, the ropes are pulled down, which causes the arms B to move upwardly through the boxes C, the bolts being meanwhile held out of the openings in the arms or bars. When the desired angular position of the frame is obtained, the ropes are released and the parts become locked, bolts R being pressed inwardly by the springs U into the immediately adjacent holes in the bars or arms B. This will bring the parts into the positions shown in Fig. l. If instead of pulling on the ropes only suiicient tension be maintained thereon to hold the bolts out of engagement, the frame will swing downwardly, the arms B passing through the boxes and coming to rest when the ropes are released, again permitting the bolts to function and lock the parts. This position is illustrated in Fig. 2. When lthe frame stands in the position shown in Fig. l, it may be used as a platform-support, or two ladders each having a frame with the parts in the relations shown in said ligure may be used to support the opposite ends of a platform.

The support may he employed with an ordinary ladder or with a two-part extensionladder, and in the latter case it will of course be unnecessary to adjust the frame longitudinally of the ladder after the initial adjustment is eected. By the employment of the ropes T.

the support may be adjusted from the ground or from any point on the ladder below the su port.

p Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with a ladder, a pair of loops engaging the upright members thereof; a Second pair of loops likewise engaging said upright members; means for securing the loops in position upon the ladder; a frame pivotally connected to the upper pair of loops said Jframe being independent of the securing means; extensible braces pivotally connected to the frame and to the lower pair .of loops; and means, controllable from the ground, for regulating the length of the braces substantially as described.

2, In combination with a ladder, a pair of loops adapted to embrace the uprights ofthe ladder and to be secured thereto; a second pair of loops likewise embracing the ladder-uprights; spacer-bars connecting the upper and lower loops in pairs; a frame pivotally connected to the upper loops; extensible braces pivotally connected to the frame and extending to and pivotally connected with the lower pair of loops; and means, controllable from the ground, for regulating the length of said braces substantially as described.

3. In combination with a ladder, a pair of loops adapted to embrace the upright members thereof; means for securing said loops in their adjusted positions; a second pair of loops likewise embracing the ladder-uprights; spacer-bars connecting the upper and lower loops in pairs; a frame pivotally connected to the upper pair of loops; a box pivotally secured to each of said lower loops; a pair of bars pivotally connected to the frame, extending downwardly therefrom, and passing through the boxes; and locking devices acting to secure said bars to the boxes, substantially as'described.

4. In combination with a ladder, a pair of loops embracing the uprights thereof; means for securing said loops in their adjusted positions upon the ladder; a second pair of loops embracing the uprights; spacer-bars connecting the upper and lower loops in pairs; a frame pivotally connected to the upper pair of loops; a box pivotally secured to each of said lower loops; a pair of arms pivotally connected to the frame and extending through the boxes, said arms being provided with a series of perforations throughout their length; a spring-pressed bolt mounted upon each of said boxes; and means for normally pressing said bolts inwardly into engagement with the arms.

5. In combination with a ladder, a frame; means for pivotally securing the ladder to the frame; an adjustable telescopic brace or support pivotally secured to the frame at one end and at its opposite end to the ladder; a lock for securing said brace in its adjusted position; and means controllable from the ground serving to withdraw the lock and to permit adjustment of the brace to either' elongate or shorten the same, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a ladder, la frame pivotally secured thereto; a pair of-extensible braces pivotally connected to the frame and likewise pivotally connected at theirlower ends to the ladder; spring-pressed bolts normally holding said braces in their adjusted positions; and means controllable from the ground for releasing said bolts and permitting extension or contraction of the braces, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a ladder; a frame pivotally secured at one end to said ladder; a pair of extensible braces projecting downwardly from the outer end of the frame; a pair or' boxes likewise pivotally secured to the ladder at a point below the pivotal point of connection of the frame and ladder, the boxes receiving the braces; spring-pressed bolts car- IOS ried by the boxes and normally projecting into openings formed in the braces; and means for retracting said bolts.

8. In combination with a ladder; a frame pivotally secured thereto; a pair of boxes secured to the ladder at a point below the frame; braces extending downwardly from the frame and passing through the boxes, said braces being provided with outwardly-turned ends; spring-pressed bolts mounted upon the boxes and normally engagingthe braces; a bell-crank lever pivoted upon each of said boxes, one end of each lever engaging a bolt; a pulley secured to the opposite end of each of said levers; and a rope attached to the outwardly-turned end of each of said braces and passing over the pulley, whereby the bolts may be retracted and the braces adjusted, substantially as described.

9. In combination with a ladder, a frame comprising two side bars or members, a crossbar, and a rod connecting the inner ends of said side bars; a pair of loops mounted upon said rod; springs encircling the rod and tending normally to press the loops toward each other; means for securing the loops to the upright members of the ladder; a second pair of loops; spacer-bars connecting the upper and lower loops in pairs; a pair of boxes secured to the lower ends of the spacer-bars; a pair of barsBsecured to the cross-bar of the frame, said bars extending downwardly and passing through the boxes and having their ends turned outwardly; a bracket secured upon each of said boxes; a bolt mounted in each of said brackets; a bell -crank lever carried by each of said brackets, the upper ends of the levers engagingthe bolts; a spring encircling each of said bolts and tending normally to force the same inwardly; a pulley secured to the outer end of each of said bell-crank levers; and a rope passing over each pulley and connected to the outwardly-turned ends of bars B, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof. I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN e. ELLINGER.

Witnesses:

M. F. EDWARDS, E. L. PIEPER. 

